Late headers from Mikel Merino and Gabriel lifted Arsenal to within two points of the Premier League summit with a 2-1 comeback victory at Newcastle.
Gabriel nodded in a 96th-minute winner from Martin Odegaard’s corner-kick to complete Arsenal’s comeback which put the Gunners second in the table behind Liverpool.
Merino nodded a 84th-minute equaliser into the far-right bottom corner after he rose highest to meet Declan Rice’s cross from a short corner-kick.
Nick Woltemade headed Newcastle ahead through his 34th-minute header from Sandro Tonali’s cross following the Italian’s one-two move with Anthony Gordon from a short corner.
Newcastle now sit 15th in the table.
Speaking post-match to the press, Arsenal manager – Mikel Arteta explained that his team had to learn from their past at St James’ Park in order to find their crucial comeback win.
“We discussed to go to the next level, first of all you have to learn from the past and certainly we take some lessons and very different and sore moments in this ground.
“Today was an opportunity that the game brings you again in a really important week in the Premier League after all the tough places that we’ve already been very early in the season to show who we are, who do we want to be, our ambition and the way that we want to play. I think the team has done that today in a remarkable way.”
Having lost their last three visits to Newcastle without scoring in all competitions, it wasn’t surprising that Arsenal started with urgency which almost paid off in the fifth minute as Eberechi Eze dragged a left-footed shot wide via Nick Pope’s deflection.
Arsenal’s pressure seemingly paid off nine minutes later as Jacob Murphy played a backpass towards Pope only for Viktor Gyokeres to seemingly intercept, moments before the Swede was clipped to ground by Pope which saw referee – Jarred Gillett award a penalty.
Gillett however rescinded the penalty three minutes later after a VAR review found that Pope had got the first touch on Jacob Murphy’s backpass, which saw the ball deflect onto Gyokeres who went diving over on follow-up contact with the 33-year-old.
Ricardo Calafiori then nodded Gyokeres’ 24th-minute flick-on header wide from Bukayo Saka’s free-kick as Arsenal continued to press for the opening goal, as Leandro Trossard struck the left post and Pope punched away a right-footed strike from Eze.
Mosquera however halted the Gunners’ momentum when he played a 34th-minute backpass too deep for Raya to latch on to in time, which consequently allowed Woltemade to nod Newcastle in front from Tonali’s short corner-kick one-two play with Gordon.
That error proved to be Mosquera’s last meaningful action before half time as he was substituted at the break for William Saliba.
Arsenal however got lucky just 30 seconds into the second half after Murphy’s cross was deflected into the path of Woltemade, yet the German struck the bar from an offside position much to the Gunners’ relief.
Joelinton dragged a shot wide across goal as Newcastle threatened once more in the 57th minute, before Pope protected their lead two minutes later after he blocked Jurrien Timber’s close-range header from a dinked over-the-top pass by Martin Zubimendi.
Declan Rice spared Arsenal’s blushes with a 65th-minute backtrack to deny Murphy who had broke forward from Bruno Guimaraes’ through-ball pass.
Newcastle however were dealt a serious injury scare after Livramento landed awkwardly after a reckless 76th-minute collision instigated by Saliba, which saw the England full-back stretchered off after treatment.
Arsenal subsequently turned up the intensity and won a 84th-minute corner, from which a short corner play near the left was worked to Rice, who whipped in a cross which Merino nodded into the far-right bottom corner to restore parity.
Newcastle subsequently broke forward in response and found Anthony Elanga, whose shot was deflected off Gabriel’s leg onto the Brazilian’s left arm, but the Magpies’ appeals for deliberate handball was denied.
Arsenal’s late intensity eventually proved too much as Gabriel headed in a 96th winner from a corner-kick to move the Gunners to within two points of the summit, after Jamaal Lascelles had conceded the set-piece.
What’s Next?
Newcastle turn their attention to the Champions League with a trip to Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise on 1 October (5:45pm BST), before hosting Nottingham Forest in their next league game on Sunday 5 October at 2pm.
Arsenal too will be in Champions League action on 1 October as they host Olympiacos at Emirates Stadium (8pm), then West Ham in the top-flight on Saturday 4 October (3pm).
Teams
Newcastle: Nick Pope, Tino Livramento (Lascelles 77′), Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton (Barnes 94′), Jacob Murphy (Elanga 66′), Nick Woltemade (Osula 67′), Anthony Gordon (Trippier 67′)
Substitutes: Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Lewis Miley, William Osula, Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Trippier, Joe Willock
Arsenal: David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Cristhian Mosquera (Saliba 46′), Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori (Merino 70′), Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi (Odegaard 82′), Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka (Martinelli 70′), Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard (Lewis-Skelly 88′)
Substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalga, Max Dowman, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, William Saliba, Christian Norgaard, Ben White, Martin Odegaard
Referee – Jarred Gillett
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